Here's to the Night
by Cassie Jamie
Summary: I decided to leave Following Big Brother the way it is. This is the onepart continuation.


Disclaimer:

Disclaimer:

I don't own Harper, Dylan, etc.I don't own Here's to the Night.It's by Eve6.I'm not using this for money.Yatsa, Yatsa, and Yatsa.

Claimer:

I own Manna.

-*-*-

Here's to the Night 

-*-*-

Three months had passed since Manna had finally woken up.Whatever had made her sister had gone, and the crew had adjusted to seeing her day in and day out.Tyr even seemed to like her – she was a good challenge for him and she even seemed to understand Nietzscheans.

The only person Manna hadn't gotten to know was one Seamus Zelazny Harper.And she was tired of it.The crew had expanded by one person and two androids, and as far as the teen was concerned EVERYONE had to know them.In her mind that was the only way to be able to function, to learn to coordinate during battle.

So Manna had once again found herself on the way to Engineering – and this time she wasn't going to let anything distract her.The corridor seemed even longer then usual, but she did eventually arrive.The doors slid open, and she walked in casually.

"Hey, Harper?" She called.

There was silence.

"You know – you can't hide from me forever.The _Andromeda_ isn't exactly that big."

Unhappily, he stood up from his hiding spot, "So whattya want?I'm in the middle of something."

"First off, that's the panel that controls the toilets – not really important and I'm guessing you opened that because Rommie alerted you to my path.And second, I just want to know why you don't like me.Of everyone, you run when I want to talk and you never come to command if I'm there."

Harper looked her over, and sighed, "I don't hate you…it's just…"

She continued to look at him sweetly, her green eyes conveying an innocence he had not seen in a long time.

"Look, you're just like someone I knew."

"On Earth?" She asked, remembering where he had grown up.

"Yeah.Now go away."

"Who was it?"

Harper sighed again, more exasperated.He peeled his eyes from her, and walked away to something else, "Her name was Shauna Kelcie.She had blonde hair, but she had green eyes like emeralds.She was so smart, so much fun.She was a few minutes older then me, so we always got along.We loved adventure."

He allowed himself to gaze back to Manna's eyes, "She was so beautiful.She was my best friend.But that was a long time ago."

Manna began to form a question in her mind, but she decided it best not to ask.

However, he knew what she was holding back, "She died when we were sixteen.We were hoping to get off the planet together and stay together.We were twins, so we wanted to stay together.But the Nietzscheans had other plans."

She was caught off-guard when Harper uttered the word twins.Manna had not been expecting that."I am so sorry, Harper…I…"

"It's okay." He murmured, "I just wish I could be with her sometimes."

Manna nodded.She remembered how lost Danny had been after Dev had died – always searching for his brother, as if Devin was hiding.Eventually the two were together, but even she knew how much it would've hurt Danny, as he got older to be apart from his twin."I…" She closed her eyes and sighed, "Dylan pretends that he doesn't remember – I barely do after all, but after Devin died, Mom let it slip that I had a twin brother.She didn't realize that I had come in the room and she said to Dylan that now she had two of her baby boys taken from her.I didn't understand until I found some pictures of me and my brother."

"What happened to him?" Harper asked, suddenly feeling like he had something in common with her.

"He fell out a window.And the part of our house that was near the road had an iron fence along it."

Grimacing at the thought, he asked another question, "What was his name?"

"Douglas.Douglas Ronan Hunt."

"Your parents had interesting names picked out for all of you."

"Well, My mom had a little sister named Danielle who died before Dylan was born and my Dad had a brother named Rhett who died when my dad was young.So our parents wanted to named their children with D's and R's so they would match up."

"So that's where Dylan's middle name comes from."

"Yep." She smiled, "Daddy used to say that my brother acted like Uncle Rhett.Both of them wanted to be High Guard, both of them loved space."

Silence soon befell the room, and Manna and Harper only continued to look at each other, "I think I should be going now.If you'd ever like to talk about Shauna, you know where to find me." She said, resisting the urge to kiss him.

"Righty-O." He returned to his work, as she walked out.

-*-*-

Two hours later 

Manna had wandered to Obs deck after her talk with Harper, and seated herself on the floor.She'd drawn her knees up, and rested her arms on them.Thoughts rallied through her mind quicker then normal, trying to make sense of some of this entirely new world.

The doors behind her swooshed open and Manna turned to look at the person coming in.It was in fact two people – Dylan and Rommie.

"Hey, Baby Sister." Dylan greeted, then noticed the look in her eyes, "What's the matter?"

"I have a problem that can't be fixed." She replied, turning her gaze back to the stars outside the window.

Rommie excused herself at that point and left, leaving the two siblings alone.

"Now, what's the matter?" He asked again, hoping for more of an explanation.

"Do you remember the Kem-mari my ship is named for?"

He smiled, "Of course.He was the only boy I **didn't** chase away."

"I hate to break it to ya', but the explanation Kymmie or Danka gave you about how we got here isn't true.I knew something was going to happen.I didn't know what, but I knew something was going down.And after I got coordinates on the _Andromeda_, I went to see Kem-mari.I told him to get his mother somewhere safe and that I might now come back." She moved one hand and pulled out a necklace.A small ring, a weaved silver and gold with a small diamond, hung on the chain, "He knew that if I lost you, I probably wasn't going to come back, so he made me promise to marry him.I loved him almost as much as you loved Sara – and still do."

Surprised, he waited patiently for her to continue, as he knew she would.

"Today, I went looking for Harper.He's the only one I didn't know, so I went to Engineering.We talked, and before I left, I wanted to kiss him.I feel like I betrayed Kem-mari.He loved me so much, and I loved him…and now it's confusing."

Dylan was still surprised by the fact that his sister had been engaged at the age of fifteen to the part-Vedran, part-Human, part-Nietzschean adopted son of the Vedran Empress, but even more so on how she had begun to remember him.He sighed, and pulled her up.He then sat down on the bench, pulled her into his lap, and spoke, "You didn't betray him.Kem-mari loved you, yes, but if he knew you would be happy, do you think he would have stopped you from being with someone else?"

She thought about it for a moment, thinking of her fiancé, "No.He would have been happy that I am happy."

"And I'm sure that he knew that you wanted to come back to him."

"I did.I wanted to go back and be with him.But I wanted to be with you even more."

"Well, I'm glad you came here, although I'm sure you would rather have gone home to Mom and Dad."

She sat up and looked in his eyes, "I don't regret what I did Dylan.If I didn't end up here, I would have been on Tarn-Vedra when it was cut off from the slipstream, I would have been there when the Empress died.When Kem-mari was put on trial."

He looked at her cockeyed – what did she mean 'on trial'?

She sighed to herself, "One of the planets I went to had information on what happened on Tarn-Vedra.After the war, Kem-mari was put on trial, as well as several other people.They were tried for having information.The charges against Kem-mari were dropped, but he was broken after that." She looked at her shoes, "Do you remember the time he said that he was always being three things at once, and they were all balanced?"

"Yes.He said he was Nietzschean sometimes, Vedran other times, and Human the rest of the time."

"Well, he let his human side win his own personal war." She looked back at his eyes, "Kem-mari killed himself with his own force lance." Tears slid down her cheeks.

Dylan was speechless, and hugged her to him.Finally finding his voice, he spoke, "I know somewhere inside of you, you know that it wasn't your fault, Manna, and you have to find it.Kem-mari had everything taken from him.His mother, his friends, his honor, you.He found a way out, and it was low, but think of it like this – he lost all those things, but now he has them all again.Even you.He has his place in your heart, Baby Sister, which will always be his.You'll find him there, but there's another space.For someone else.Be happy with that."

Manna closed her eyes, absorbing what he had said, and then opened them, her gaze with his, "You know, I think you need some time away from Rev."

He laughed, "Really?"

"Really." She smiled, and wiped the leftover tears from her red eyes.

_All hands report to Command._

"I think that's our cue, Big Brother." Manna rose from her spot, and waited for him.

Dylan rose with a sigh.

"Now what was that?" She asked, taking his hand and feeling very much like she was five.

"Just thinking that letting Beka, Tyr, Kym, and Trance go to do the negotiations might not have been a smart idea.It's been two weeks and they still aren't back."

"Well, weirdo, you're the captain.You've been doing all the negotiations for the last, what, eight planets?I think the best bet would've been to have you continue the pattern, but, hey, you're the one in charge." She replied, as they walked the corridor, still hand-in-hand.

-*-*-

Two Days Later 

Trance happily jumped out of the _Maru_, and was greeted by the other members of the crew less two people.Beka, Kym, and Tyr soon followed.

"Well, that's number nine." Beka said, smiling, as she handed Manna the charter.

Trance looked around, "Wait…Where's Dylan?"  
Manna grinned, "Come on." She guided them out of the hanger, "You know, I was talking to Rommie and I realized something."

"What?" Kym asked, tired and wanting to just go to bed.

"Today is Dylan's forty-third birthday."

"Didn't we just celebrate his forty-second birthday?"

"A year ago." She replied, casually, "And I remember that my mom was planning this big birthday party for him, so I thought maybe we could do it too."

"Be afraid!Be very afraid!" Danka laughed, as Manna walked into Obs deck.

The room was decorated festively – better then the dinner parties that had been in there.Crepe paper highlighted the basketball hoop, confetti was strewn on the table set for ten people, and balloons were everywhere.But the best part was the window.The huge window that everyone enjoyed looking out of had been painted.Not real paint of course, but it was no longer clear. A banner of white paint had had Happy Birthday written in Vedran in bright blue in the middle of the scroll-like design, with paint streamers and paint balloons all over.

"Wow." Beka managed, "Now how'd you do this?"

"Me, Harper, Rev, Rommie, and Danka did it."

"Who did the window?"

Manna smiled, "That is a secret."

Suddenly a thought crossed the blonde's mind, "We don't have to get dressed up, do we?"

"Beka, I think I hate dresses with even more of a passion then you.I only do it without complaints or else I end up with Dylan being more of a pain then he already is." Manna stated.

Laughing, Beka replied, "Ah – so I have an ally."

"Just one question – how did you keep this from Dylan?" Tyr asked.

"Easy – I told Rommie to keep him busy, then I told Dylan, via comm, that something wasn't working.He and Rommie are 'working' on it in Command and he thinks Harper and I are working on it while Danka and Rev went to get you guys."

"You are one manipulative person." Kym told her, still looking around.

"Only with Mr. I-Have-To-Know-Everything and only when I need him to be away for a while."

"So what are we supposed to wear?"

"What ever your heart so desires, Beka." Manna smiled devilishly, "What 'til you see what I'm gonna make Dylan wear."

-*-*-

"Oh, come on, Dylan.You really wanna teach me to dance in that?" Mann asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dylan had refused to change out of his uniform – he knew she was up to something, but he knew what ever it was didn't require him teaching her to dance, "I'm not changing."

"Please?" She begged.

"First tell me why you want me to wear that outfit."

Manna crossed her arms, "Put on the outfit and I'll show you."

"You are so very annoying sometimes."

"It's in the baby sister job description." She smiled, handing him a white, button down, long-sleeve shirt, and a pair of black dress pants.

He disappeared into his bathroom and changed quickly, reappearing and holding up his arms, "Alright?"

She took his hand, and dragged him toward Obs deck.And as she did so, Dylan noticed that she had changed her clothes from the jeans and white t-shirt she'd had that morning to a pair of tight black stretch bellbottom pants and a white button-down shirt that was open, revealing the black tank-top.

"Why are you dressed up anyway?" He asked.

"I always wear this." She replied.

"Not since your fifteenth birth…" Realization hit him, "Manna, you didn't!"  
But it was too late – they had reached Obs deck.Reluctantly, he followed Manna into the dressed up room, and into the music.The others were smiling happily, the screen on the wall showing pictures of Dylan on his birthdays from the first to the last.

"How'd you…" He trailed off when he saw the window.

"I thought you'd like it.Just like your birthday when you turned thirty."

He smiled at the thought, "And Mom painted every window in the house like it was a big mosaic."

A song began to play, and both siblings blushed, "Remember this?"

"How could I forget?" Manna replied.

Dylan took her hand, "Would you like to dance with me?"

"I would be honored."

**So denied so I lied are you the now or never kind  
In a day and a day love I'm gonna be gone for good again  
Are you willing to be had are you cool with just tonight  
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well  
  
**

_Manna was only four-years old.She had not yet come to know why her big brother left, why he'd lie and tell her he was staying home for good when she would ask.When she was older she would realize that he would tell her the lies because she was deliriously sick, but she was four – she didn't know why._

_But she really could care less because once again her brother was gone.He was leaving the Manor to go back to the High Guard._

_  
_**Here's to the nights we felt alive  
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
Here's to goodbye   
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon**_  
  
_

_The rain was pouring outside the mansion.For seven-year old Manna, it was a prison sentence - she needed to be outside.It was night, it was raining, and there were fireflies.But because of her tendency to get sick, her mother forced her to stay in._

_"Come on, Manna.Let's go out." Dylan's voice whispered, as his took her hand in his._

_"But…Mommy…" She stammered._

_"Can blame me if you get sick." He smiled, and pulled out the back door and onto the porch.They slipped off their socks and shoes before running into the wet grass and night rain.Forgetting for just a moment that this was Dylan's last night of leave._

_  
_**Put your name on the line along with place and time  
Wanna stay not to go I wanna ditch the logical  
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well**_  
  
_

  
_Thirteen-year old Manna stood, her eyes downcast, as Chuck took another cheap shot at her, "That's for calling me Chucky.It's CHUCK!"_

_After he finished yelling, he walked away._

_A word escaped her lips, and she ran for the Kymberlie Seas (which would be renamed the Kem-mari Rue-el just a week later.)_

_She was going to the **Andromeda** whether Admiral Stark liked it or not, and all logic could go to hell._

_  
_**Here's to the nights we felt alive  
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
Here's to goodbye   
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon**_  
  
_

_Dylan watched as his father danced happily with his sister, unaware of the baby boy upstairs crying.Life was so easy now.Devin was getting better and Danny had learned to crawl._

_His mother walked over, "Dylan? Are you alright?"_

_"Fine." He smiled, "Just thinking."_

_She smiled as well, "Yes, life is good."_

_"How'd you kn…"_

_"I'm your mother – I'm supposed to know." She laughed, "So have you told Manna about you and Sara yet?"  
"No." He looked down, "I feel like it's wrong some how."_

_"Like you're saying goodbye?"_

_"Yes."_

_She hugged him, "You aren't saying goodbye.Manna's your sister – you'll never lose her.You're just adding another person to the family.You aren't leaving it."_

_  
_**All my time is froze in motion   
Can't I stay an hour or two or more  
Don't let me let you go  
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well**_  
  
_

_Manna brushed past her brother and out of the room.Her mind was praising her for letting him have a taste of her pain, but her heart told her to go back, to tell him she was wrong.She knew in a few hours he'd be gone.Dylan will once again have runaway, runaway to the High Guard to avoid the pain that they no longer had time with their brothers._

_A song was playing in her room.The song Dylan had taught her to dance with, and as she listened, she heard only one verse before she started to cry. _

_  
_**Here's to the nights we felt alive  
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
Here's to goodbye   
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon**__

__Manna looked at her brother as he moved her around the floor, much the way he had when he'd taught her.Smiling the two just looked at each other, thinking of the irony the song contained.

The song ended, and the teen's eyes began to wander.They settled on a picture on the screen.It was one of her and Kem-mari with Dylan and Sara.

_'Goodbye, my prince.'_ She thought, hoping beyond all else, that Dylan was right.

-*-*-

Cassie Jamie

[noahXfiles@aol.com][1]

   [1]: mailto:noahXfiles@aol.com



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